


Breathless

by deandratb



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, F/M, First Kiss, Love Confessions, My First Work in This Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-19 00:11:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16129553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deandratb/pseuds/deandratb
Summary: Ben Wyatt and Leslie Knope are coworkers forced to share an office. Sparks fly.





	Breathless

**Author's Note:**

> For [designatedmsec](http://designatedmsec.tumblr.com). Fic prompt: **The Big Damn Kiss + love confession**

They each find the other super frustrating. Because _my god does Leslie ever stop being cheerful?? it’s way too early_  and  _dear lord why won’t Ben do things the right way? aka her way!!_

Months of confined space and forced collaboration lead to grudging respect and heavy sexual tension but neither of them is going to be the one to make the first move because that would require admitting to having feelings. 

And they know it’s not  **their**  fault they’ve fallen for the most annoying person on the planet– _who they actually find adorable and would defend with their life but whatever–_ so maybe they can wait until the feelings stop. Maybe one of them will get transferred or fired and then they can pretend they never met. 

Instead they’re arguing over the stupidest things, spreadsheets and post-it notes and lunch break policies, and it’s so unprofessional and ridiculous that one morning before anyone else has arrived, Ben hands her a cup of coffee to try and be nice. When all he gets is a heavy sigh in response, he snaps.

“What is with you lately??” 

And because Leslie is that annoyed at him for knowing how she takes her coffee and never talking over her during meetings and enjoying the nerdiest TV shows and movies and really giving her no choice  **at all** except to fall for him, she snaps back “I’m in love with you!”

The silence of the office is so sharp that the fluorescent lights have a sound, as he stares at her and she stares back, and part of her wants to laugh and convince him it was a terrible attempt at a joke.  _They can barely stand each other, they didn’t like even each other at first, this definitely isn’t love._

She has plenty of opportunity, while Ben is stunned speechless and frozen in place, looking at her like this is the last development he expected. But then it’s too late, because something flickers in his eyes and he crosses the distance between them.

And when he kisses her  _for the first of many, many times_ , next to the coffee station that is now instantly the most romantic part of the office–it doesn’t taste like annoyance or frustration between them. 

“I love you too,” Ben admits, after he takes her breath away.


End file.
